Decks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can choose a mini-board, a cruiser, a drop-through, or a standard deck for your favorite set of wheels and hardware. Widths range too from a few inches with a 22-inch board to the wide size of a true cruiser. Some decks are flat as possible while others are significantly concave for optimized turning. You can buy a deck with artwork and grip tape already attached for a quick install or you can get a bare-bones wooden deck to truly customize.
Efforts have been taken to improve recognition of the cultural heritage as well as the positive effects of encouraging skateboarding within designated spaces. In 2015, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., hosted an event at which skateboarders accompanied by music did tricks on a ramp constructed for a festival of American culture.[68] The event was the climax of a ten-day project that transformed a federal institution formerly off-limits to the skateboarding community into a platform for that community to show its relevance through shared cultural action in a cultural common space.[69]

Punisher’s Cherry Blossom skateboard is really one of a kind. Not only does it come with a high-quality, durable pro deck, but it has a perfect price for a beginner skateboard. If you have been meaning to try out skateboarding for a while now, this is the best skateboard to start with. It has a quality craftsmanship combined with a budget-price, making it widely available to the general public. The heavy-duty design makes sure that you will get all the best features from this board. Features that can usually only be noticed when buying more expensive products!

I rode for them as a ‘Amateur’ skateboarder in ‘79-’80, and they, at that time, had one of the Best boards out on the market, made of Fiberglass in a torsion box, with a foam core, and urethane ‘bumpers’ all around. I still have that board, and one set of C-70 Reds from then. I skated that gear hard, for many years, too. I still own 6–7 full sets of “krypto’s” for skateboards, and 8 that’re on quad-roller-skates. Great wheels, and they’re still in use.
In the ever-volatile skateboarding industry, brands come and go, then come back again, only to go out once more, and eventually make room for the next person who is really in tune with what skateboarding is today. While no two brands can really be compared, the true signifier of their importance in skateboarding is how they can make a difference in the culture and bring something new to the table that hasn’t been done before. Every single brand on this list has been a part of something unique that has made us pay attention to them above all the others out there doing it in this saturated market.

While the skate shoes design afforded better connection and traction with the deck, skaterboarders themselves could often be identified when wearing the shoes, with Tony Hawk once saying, "If you were wearing Vans shoes in 86, you were a skateboarder"[27] Because of its connection with skateboarding, Vans financed the legendary skateboarding documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys and was the first sneaker company to endorse a professional skateboarder Stacy Peralta. Vans has a long history of being a major sponsor of many of skateboarding's competitions and events throughout skateboarding's history as well, including the Vans Warped Tour and the Vans Triple Crown Series.[8][81][82][83][84][85]

Bearings are standardized to fit in all kinds of skateboard wheels. All bearings will eventually get dirt and gunk in them which slows you down. Regular cleaning is recommended. Higher quality bearings will perform better, roll faster, retain more speed, and last longer when cleaned regularly. Some bearings come with bearing spacers or have spacers built into the bearing. These will fit in any wheel, but are not necessary for most types of skateboarding or longboarding.

Your number 1 in 2015 is called EMillion Skateboards. The brand from Bavaria stands for quality and commitment. Additionally, the brands supports artists and an amazing team of skateboarders. Put that and add an unbeatable cost-benefit ratio and you know why this company is number one! Congratulations EMillion. You are skatedeluxe’s Top Skateboard Deck Brand 2015!!! In celebration of this we have an amazing EMillion Skateboarts sale over at the shop!

The skateboard companies that are considered at the top include Element Skateboards. Founded by professional skateboarder Johnny Schillereff in 1992, the company’s goal was to expand on Johnny’s “Elementality” vision to build a company that helped to bring awareness to skateboarding. The goal is to focus on its uses in nature and the environment and the interconnecting of art and skateboarding. Developed from an urban mentality that was rough around the edges, the brand was transformed to embrace the “tree” logo with an emphasis on the positive and making the world a better place. A customer can purchase complete skateboards that include the decks, wheels, trucks, and bearings or they can customize a deck to suit their needs. Accessories and clothing are also offered. There are 20 professional skateboarders on the Elements team including such names as Brandon Westgate, Nyjah Houston, Mark Appleyard and Nick Garcia.
I have a dream to hook up some of the world’s best skateboarders, and make everybody know and love this awesome sport! So, in the summer of 2017, I launched SkatesZone with little more than a dollar and want it to become an interesting place for all skaters where you can find a plenty of skateboards information, tips & tricks, instructions, and more.
The Golden Dragon is a fantastic board for beginners, and it’s all in the wheels. The high-rebound polyurethane wheels are hand-cast and offer amazing grip as you ride, plus fantastic roll. The deck itself is just slightly longer than a standard skateboard, which offers a bit more stability for beginners, who might be worried about sliding or slipping off a shorter board. Additionally, this board features the All Powell-Peralta Ligament strap, an important safety feature that keeps the deck together if it should break. This helps prevent injury and provides a little more peace of mind for the rider.
Choosing a skateboard deck can be approached in a few different ways: you can choose your board based off the graphic, the brand, the shape, the width, or even the color. For most skateboarders, it’s a combination of all these factors, but if you’ve never skateboarded before, you may not know what shape, width, or brand you like best. In this case, choosing your favorite graphic would make total sense.
Browsing decks online is best when you're looking the actual brand's website, rather than a retailer that carries a lot of different brands. The company site usually gives you a taste of what the brand is all about, in addition to what their decks look like. A lot of brands have their own skateboarding teams. If you happen to like a rider on a team, that can give you a strong connection to a brand (and they'll probably have a deck with your favorite rider's name on it). You also might be drawn to a particular philosophy of the brand or a specific design or construction feature used on their decks. For example, some companies are known for killer graphics, and some play around with different materials to give their decks unique performance characteristics.
Remember, no skateboard lasts forever. Each board has different lifespan, regardless of the brand. Flip tends to break the easiest if you skate a lot. Almost and Girl boards usually have the longest life span. If you want a board that lasts really longer and you have the money, go for the Uber boards. Almost has three Uber boards signed by Mullen and usually start at $70 just for the deck, and completes range from $150-$250 just for the basic. If you want the perfect board, then you are talking a lot of money.
The concave of a skateboard deck is how curved the width of the deck is. Very few skateboard decks have no concavity and are completely flat as then they would break very easily and be hard to do flip tricks on. Steep concave decks are the most study and best to do flip tricks on because the slope of the deck catches the skater’s toe or heel more easily and flips the board faster than a shallower deck. Shallow concave boards are better for cruising around and vert skating as they are more comfortable on your feet and more controllable. In practice, these recommendations are pretty general and it ultimately comes down to personal preference on the the best deck concavity. But if you have no idea, following the recommendations or picking a board with moderate concavity is a good place to start.
Powell has made sure to provide their customers with more than one design of one of their most sought-after skateboards. The Golden Dragon 2 is very similar to its predecessor, the Golden Dragon and is just as reliable as its sister model. When it comes to skateboarding, you can’t ask for a better board than the Golden Dragon 2. It’s durable, firm and thanks to the concave skateboard deck design, will allow you to do many tricks. Tricks, that other boards could possibly not support as well.
The Wonnv Retro Mini Cruiser 22 inch Complete Skateboard is 22″ Light Up Clear Banana Skateboard. It is complete with Light Up Board, Wheels, Metal Trucks, ABEC-7 Bearings, and High-Quality Bushings. The set also includes 6″ Metal Trucks, High-Speed ABEC-7 Bearings, High-Quality Bushings, and Hardware. It has a unique Textured Waffle Pattern on Deck and designed for Maximum Grip. The Deck measures about 22 x 6 x 4″. It has a 6″ Truck Axle and 3″ Truck Hanger. It requires 2 AAA Batteries and is recommended for skaters who are 6 years old and Up. It has a 5 rating on Amazon.

It is safe to say that Zero’s identity as a skateboard brand was built primarily on its skate videos which began in (1997) with Thrill of It All, there followed Misled Youth (1999), Dying to Live (2002), New Blood (2005), Strange World (2009), Cold War (2013) and No Ca$h Value (2014) with each video upping the ante in terms of the levels of danger involved.

The Californian brand has performed nothing less than a triple flip and catapulted itself from #11 exactly into the centre to #8. This isn’t only nice for us, but also for skatedeluxe team rider Denny Pham, who literally stands on Flip. How hard you can skate these decks is also shown by his team colleagues Arto Saari, Louie Lopez, Curren Caples and Co. Price: from 64.99 € | 55.00 GBP!

Founded by the original technical street skaters Daewon Song and Rodney Mullen, Almost Skateboards always pushes the envelope with fun, artistic cartoon graphics paired with high quality materials. Almost was one of the first brands to implement carbon fiber layers to their decks in the “Impact” deck line to increase the deck’s life and better maintain its shape.
Skateboarding during the 1990s became dominated by street skateboarding. Most boards are about 7 1⁄4 to 8 inches (180 to 200 mm) wide and 30 to 32 inches (760 to 810 mm) long. The wheels are made of an extremely hard polyurethane, with hardness (durometer) approximately 99A. The wheel sizes are relatively small so that the boards are lighter, and the wheels' inertia is overcome quicker, thus making tricks more manageable. Board styles have changed dramatically since the 1970s but have remained mostly alike since the mid-1990s. The contemporary shape of the skateboard is derived from the freestyle boards of the 1980s with a largely symmetrical shape and relatively narrow width. This form had become standard by the mid '90s.[42]
If what you want out of your first skateboard is something very stable to just get the feel of riding without the danger, the Atom Drop Deck is perfect. This is a longboard, meaning it’s perfect for longer rides and cruising around. The components are made to handle lots of wear and tear, and the low-ride deck makes you feel more in control, closer to the ground, and more stable.
Skateboard decks width is probably one of the most important factors to consider when buying a deck. Decks typically range from 7.25-8.5″. 7.5″,7.75″, and 8.0″ tend to be the standard widths if most decks and the general rule is that the bigger your feet are the wider the deck you should get. Thinner decks are slightly easier to flip, however they are harder to land on due to the decreased surface area. This is a tradeoff you have to consider, but the typical rule of thumb for younger guys is that you get wider decks the more advanced and larger you get. Street skaters typically also like smaller decks as they are easier to navigate and carry around in crowded cities and areas.
New in the top 16 ranking, but still an old stager in the business. In 2016 you gladly put Anti Hero decks under your feet, which is not surprising regarding the neat designs and the high quality of the boards. The brand stands for 100% skateboarding without high life and frills. It’s all about ripping it. Get your Anti Hero deck at skatedeluxe from 52.99 € | 45.00 GBP!
Prior to the mid-seventies many early skateboards were originally based upon the concept of “Sidewalk Surfing” and were tied to the surf culture, skateboards were surfboard like in appearance with little to no graphics located under the bottom of the skateboard-deck. Some of the early manufactured skateboards such as "Roller Derby", the "Duraflex Surfer" and the "Banana board" are characteristic. Some skateboards during that time were manufactured with company logo's or stickers across the top of the deck of the skateboard, as griptape was not initially used for construction. But as skateboarding progressed & evolved, and as artist began to design and add influence to the artwork of skateboards, designs and themes began to change.[92]
Lol, to begin riding I got a target board and it has lasted 1 years so far for me. If you are smart you will start with one of these so that you can see if you will actually stick with skateboarding. It also comes completely put together so you don't have to struggle through the proses of making your board as a beginner although some might say that is an important thing to learn as a skateboarder, wich I also agree with.

Velocity Boards Retro Banana Skateboard is a 22″ Complete Board Set with 6″ Aluminum Trucks, ABEC-7 Bearings, High-Quality Wheels, and Bushings. It is designed for maximum grip. The Deck measures about 22 x 6 x 4″. The truck Axle has a Width of 6″ and the Truck Hanger has a Width of 3″. It has a maximum load capacity of 176 lbs. (80 kgs.) It is best for skaters who are 6 years old and Up. It has an average Amazon rating of 4.7.

Hi Everyone! My name is Pete (yes, I’m a real person who lives in a cornfield just outside of Buffalo, NY – well, my house is in the middle of a cornfield!). As a former collegiate athlete in Iowa, I’ve played varsity basketball, volleyball and soccer. I also happen to be an outdoor adventure fanatic who’ll do whatever it takes to never miss my annual week-long wilderness canoe trip in the Northern Ontario wilderness. Sports equipment has come a long way over just the past few years, and I’d love to share with you the latest (and most competitively priced) products that will save you many of the frustrations I’ve dealt with over the years! Please feel free to cruise the site and drop me a line on the contact page if you have ideas for improvements or anything else!